Monitor configuration system

ABSTRACT

A monitor configuration system which communicates with a physiological sensor, the monitor configuration system including one or more processors and an instrument manager module running on the one or more processors. At least one of the one or more processors communicates with the sensor and calculates at least one physiological parameters responsive to the sensor. The instrument manager controls the calculation, display and/or alarms based upon the physiological parameters. A configuration indicator identifies the configuration profile. In one aspect of the invention, the physiological sensor is a optical sensor that includes at least one light emitting diode and at least one detector.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 12/430742, filed Apr. 27, 2009, titled Monitor ConfigurationSystem, which claims priority benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to U.S.Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/126,268, filed May 2, 2008,titled Monitor User Interface; and U.S. Provisional Patent ApplicationSer. No. 61/050,205 filed May 3, 2008, titled Monitor ConfigurationSystem. All of the above cited provisional applications are herebyincorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Pulse oximetry systems for measuring constituents of circulating bloodhave gained rapid acceptance in a wide variety of medical applicationsincluding surgical wards, intensive care and neonatal units, generalwards, home care, physical training, and virtually all types ofmonitoring scenarios. A pulse oximetry system generally includes anoptical sensor applied to a patient, a monitor for processing sensorsignals and displaying results and a patient cable electricallyinterconnecting the sensor and the monitor. A pulse oximetry sensor haslight emitting diodes (LEDs), typically one emitting a red wavelengthand one emitting an infrared (IR) wavelength, and a photodiode detector.The emitters and detector are attached to a patient tissue site, such asa finger. The patient cable transmits drive signals to these emittersfrom the monitor, and the emitters respond to the drive signals totransmit light into the tissue site. The detector generates a signalresponsive to the emitted light after attenuation by pulsatile bloodflow within the tissue site. The patient cable transmits the detectorsignal to the monitor, which processes the signal to provide a numericalreadout of physiological parameters such as oxygen saturation (SpO₂) andpulse rate. Advanced physiological monitoring systems utilize multiplewavelength sensors and multiple parameter monitors to provide enhancedmeasurement capabilities including, for example, the measurement ofcarboxyhemoglobin (HbCO), methemoglobin (HbMet) and total hemoglobin(Hbt).

Pulse oximeters capable of reading through motion induced noise aredisclosed in at least U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,770,028, 6,658,276, 6,650,917,6,157,850, 6,002,952, 5,769,785, and 5,758,644; low noise pulse oximetrysensors are disclosed in at least U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,088,607 and5,782,757; all of which are assigned to Masimo Corporation, Irvine,Calif. (“Masimo”) and are incorporated by reference herein.

Physiological monitors and corresponding multiple wavelength opticalsensors are described in at least U.S. patent application Ser. No.11/367,013, filed Mar. 1, 2006 and titled Multiple Wavelength SensorEmitters and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/366,208, filed Mar. 1,2006 and titled Noninvasive Multi-Parameter Patient Monitor, bothassigned to Masimo Laboratories, Irvine, Calif. (“Masimo Labs”) and bothincorporated by reference herein.

Further, physiological monitoring systems that include low noise opticalsensors and pulse oximetry monitors, such as any of LNOP® adhesive orreusable sensors, SofTouch™ sensors, Hi-Fi Trauma™ or Blue™ sensors; andany of Radical®, SatShare™, Rad-9™, Rad-5™, Rad-5v™ or PPO+™ Masimo SET®pulse oximeters, are all available from Masimo. Physiological monitoringsystems including multiple wavelength sensors and correspondingnoninvasive blood parameter monitors, such as Rainbow™ adhesive andreusable sensors and Rad-57™, Rad-87™ and Radical-7™ monitors formeasuring SpO₂, pulse rate, perfusion index, signal quality, HbCO andHbMet among other parameters are also available from Masimo.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Advanced noninvasive physiological parameter monitors provide medicalpractitioners with substantial operational flexibility, including theability to set parameters displayed, display format, alarm thresholds,alarm types, sensitivity and averaging times, to name just a few.Optimal settings vary with the monitoring application. Monitoring in ahospital environment may differ from that of an ambulance or out-patientclinic. Also different hospital wards servicing different types ofpatients with different medical care needs are likely to requiredifferent monitor settings. For example, ER monitoring requirements willlikely differ from those of a surgical ward. Monitoring of neonatalpatients will likely differ from monitoring of geriatric patients. Thus,the operational flexibility of these monitors is a challenge to medicalstaff and administrators at various facilities, especially if a monitoris used for multiple purposes and patient types or if monitors arefrequently moved between locations within a large facility.

A monitor configuration system meets this challenge in various respects.In an embodiment, a monitor configuration system advantageously providesa readily recognizable indication of the current default settings. Thisindication can be associated with a particular ward or patient group, asexamples. In addition, a monitor can be programmed with any of multipleuser-defined default settings, each associated with a uniqueconfiguration indication. In an embodiment, the monitor control paneland display provide hidden menus that allow technical support staff toquickly change configuration profiles to best suit the current monitorusage without risk of accidental configuration changes by medical staff.Also, technical staff can utilize manual procedures or programming aidsto conveniently enter or modify one or more default settings.

Advantageously, an aspect of a monitor configuration system allows usersto change to default settings using front-panel keys or an externalconfiguration application. This user-defined “configuration profile”overrides the factory default settings and is retained after a powercycle. A user may also associate a color and/or a display message withthe profile, as a “configuration indicator,” which allows a user toverify at a glance which configuration profile is the default. In anembodiment, a front-panel colored light is a configuration indicator. Ifchanges are made to the device settings after the configuration profilefeature has been enabled, the front panel light will turn off,indicating a change from the saved profile settings. In otherembodiments a colored plug-in memory, dongle or similar device programsthe monitor settings and serves as a profile indicator.

One aspect of a monitor configuration system communicates with aphysiological sensor and includes a processor, for example, a digitalsignal processor (DSP) and an instrument manager processor. Thephysiological sensor can have emitters that transmit optical radiationinto a tissue site and at least one detector that receives the opticalradiation after attenuation by pulsatile blood flow within the tissuesite. The DSP can communicate with the sensor and calculatephysiological parameters responsive to the sensor. An instrument managerreceives the calculated physiological parameters from the DSP, transmitsthe physiological parameters to a display and controls alarms based uponthe physiological parameters. The instrument manager is responsive to aconfiguration profile that specifies DSP calculations, physiologicalparameter displays and alarms. The configuration indicator identifiesthe configuration profile. In various embodiments, the configurationindicator comprises a panel light. The instrument manager selectsbetween a factory-default configuration profile and a user-specifiedconfiguration profile. The panel light displays a first color when thefactory-default settings are selected and a second color when theuser-specified settings are selected. The user-specified settings aremanually defined. The panel light color for user-specified settings ismanually defined. The configuration indicator comprises a top-mountedalphanumeric display.

Another aspect of a monitor configuration system comprises a sensorhaving emitters that transmit optical radiation into a tissue site andat least one detector that receives the optical radiation afterattenuation by pulsatile blood flow within the tissue site. A calculatorcommunicates with the sensor and calculates physiological parametersresponsive to the sensor. An instrument manager receives the calculatedphysiological parameters from the calculator, transmits thephysiological parameters to a display and controls alarms based upon thephysiological parameters. The instrument manager is responsive to aconfiguration profile with respect to calculator calculations,physiological parameter displays and alarms. In various embodiments theinstrument manager reads the configuration profile via the I/O port. Amemory device stores the configuration profile and is removably attachedto the I/O port so as to communicate the configuration profile to theinstrument manager. A color is affixed to at least a portion of thememory device. The color corresponds to the configuration profile. Thememory device and its color are readily visible to a monitor user whenthe memory device is removably attached to the I/O port so as todesignate the configuration profile to the user. A configuration profileroutine executes on the instrument manager and writes the memory devicewith configuration profile settings.

A further aspect of a monitor configuration system comprises aconfiguration profile of user-specified settings defined for aphysiological monitor. The configuration profile is selected to overridecorresponding factory-specified settings. A color is associated with theconfiguration profile. The selected profile is indicated by displayingthe associated color. The user-specified settings and thefactory-specified settings each relate to at least one of calculatingphysiological parameters, displaying the physiological parameters andalarming based upon the physiological parameters. In variousembodiments, the configuration profile is defined by reading theconfiguration profile into the physiological monitor. The selectedprofile is indicated by illuminating a portion of the physiologicalmonitor with the color. The reading comprises downloading theconfiguration profile from an input/output (I/O) port. The illuminatingcomprises activating a colored panel light on the monitor. The selectingcomprises receiving from a wireless device a code corresponding to theconfiguration profile and activating the configuration profile accordingto the code.

An additional aspect of a monitor configuration system comprises aprofile definition means for setting parameter measurement, display andalarm characteristics of a physiological monitor, a profile selectionmeans for activating a defined profile and a profile indication meansfor cuing a monitor user as to the selected profile. In variousembodiments the profile definition means comprises a menu means formanually entering profile settings. The profile selection meanscomprises a save means for specifying a defined profile as the monitordefault settings. The profile indication means comprises a colorselection means for associating a color with a saved profile and anillumination means for displaying the color. The profile definitionmeans comprises a downloading means for transferring profile settings tothe monitor via at least one of an I/O port and a docking port. Theprofile selection means comprises a wireless means for specifying adefined profile as the monitor default settings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1-5E are perspective views of physiological monitors utilizingvarious monitor configuration system embodiments;

FIG. 1 is a standalone physiological monitor having a front-panelcolored light and a top-mounted display as configuration indicators;

FIG. 2 is a standalone physiological monitor having a color-codedplug-in configuration indicator;

FIG. 3 is a removable handheld monitor having a front-panel coloredlight and a corresponding docking station having a top-mounted displayconfiguration indicator;

FIG. 4 is a physiological monitoring system and a corresponding plug-inmodule having a colored panel light and a colored monitor display asconfiguration indicators;

FIGS. 5A-E is a physiological monitoring system including a removablesatellite module, a docking handheld monitor and plug-ins each havingconfiguration indicators;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a physiological monitoring systemresponsive to a wall-mounted or a tag-mounted short-range wirelessdevice for selection of a configuration profile;

FIG. 7 is a hierarchical block diagram of a monitor configurationsystem;

FIG. 8 is a detailed block diagram of a physiological measurement systemthat utilizes a monitor configuration system;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a I/O port download embodiment fordefining configuration profiles;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a plug-in programming embodiment fordefining configuration profiles;

FIG. 11 is a detailed block diagram of a physiological monitoring systemresponsive to a short-range wireless device for selection of aconfiguration profile;

FIGS. 12A-D are front, top and back views, respectively, of a horizontalmonitor embodiment and a front view of a vertical monitor embodimenthaving configuration indicators;

FIG. 13 is a general block diagram illustrating a tri-levelconfiguration user interface, further illustrated in FIGS. 14-16;

FIG. 14 is a level 1 exemplar flow diagram;

FIG. 15 is a level 2 exemplar flow diagram;

FIGS. 16A-B is a level 3 exemplar flow diagram.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 illustrates a physiological measurement system 10 that utilizes aconfiguration indicator embodiment. The physiological measurement system10 has monitor 10 and a multiple wavelength optical sensor 20. Thesensor 20 allows the measurement of various blood constituents andrelated parameters. The sensor 20 is configured to communicate with amonitor sensor port 110 via a patient cable 30. The sensor 20 istypically attached to a tissue site, such as a finger. The patient cable30 transmits a drive signal from the monitor 100 to the sensor 20 and aresulting detector signal from the sensor 20 to the monitor 100. Themonitor 100 processes the detector signal to provide a numerical readoutof measured blood parameters including oxygen saturation (SpO₂), pulserate (PR), carboxyhemoglobin (HbCO), methemoglobin (HbMet) and totalhemoglobin (Hbt), to name a few. Displays 120 provide readouts, bargraphs or other visual presentations of the measured parameters. Aspeaker 130 or other audio transducer generates beeps, alarms or otheraudio presentations of the measured parameters. Monitor keys (buttons)140 provide control over operating modes and alarms, to name a few. Asystem status light 160 indicates alarm status, data status and monitormode.

As described in detail below, a user can determine the operationalcharacteristics of the monitor 100 by changing various factory defaultsettings. A particular group of custom settings, described herein as aconfiguration profile, determines the physiological parameters that aremeasured, various options related to those measurements, how thephysiological parameters are displayed, alarm thresholds for thephysiological parameters and alarm types, to name a few. Manyconfiguration profiles are possible for a monitor, and some profiles aremore appropriate for a particular healthcare application or environmentthan others. A configuration indicator advantageously allows a user toquickly recognize that a particular configuration profile is the currentdefault setting for that monitor.

As shown in FIG. 1, a panel light 150 displays a selected one of variouscolors, such as shown in TABLE 1. Advantageously, each color of thepanel light 150 can be associated with a unique configuration profile.Accordingly, medical staff using the monitor can readily recognize anddiscern the monitor's settings by observing the illumination color. Asan example, pink can be associated with standardized ER settings, tealwith surgical ward settings and blue with general ward settings.

The panel light 150 illuminates with a color associated with auser-defined profile at power on. In one embodiment, the panel light 150glows and slowly cycles from bright to dim if a temporary change hasbeen made to the user-defined profile or if defaults have been activatedvia the control buttons 140. The panel light 150 returns to a solidstate when settings are returned to the user-defined profile. In anembodiment, a factory default profile is associated with purple havingRGB values of R 75, G 40 and B 55. In an embodiment, optional profilecolors for user defined profiles are represented by the RGB codes listedin TABLE 1, below.

TABLE 1 Colors and RGB Values COLOR DESCRIPTION RGB CODE Dark Purple 1005 15 Electric Blue 25 65 40 Teal 15 65 15 Green 10 40 05 Pink 95 20 15Light Pink 60 20 05

Further shown in FIG. 1, a top-mounted display 170, such as an LCDmini-screen, displays radio communication status, system status and, inan embodiment, a textual description of the current profilecorresponding to the panel light 150. This allows medical staff toverify the profile associated with a particular panel light color. Forexample, the display 170 might indicate “ER,” “surgical,” or “general”corresponding to selected profiles for those wards. The monitorillustrated in FIG. 1 is described in further detail with respect toFIGS. 12A-D, below.

FIG. 2 illustrates a physiological measurement system 200 that utilizesa plug-in configuration indicator. In particular, a color-coded memorydevice 250 is removably plugged into a configuration port 252. Thememory 250 is preloaded with a specific configuration profile, and themonitor 210 reads the memory 250 so as to transfer the correspondingsettings into the monitor. Different color-coded memories may storedifferent configuration profiles, i.e. user-selected monitor settings. Auser can advantageously select a memory by color and plug the memory 250into the configuration port 252 so as to quickly customize the monitor210 for a particular medical application or healthcare environment. Forexample, red may represent a hospital emergency room (ER), yellow asurgical ward and green a general care ward. Accordingly, red, yellowand green-coded memories are loaded with monitor settings appropriate tothe ER, surgical ward and general ward, respectively. A healthcareprovider using the monitor 210 can then quickly determine if the monitoris configured appropriately for their purpose. Thus, the memory 250serves both as a configuration defining device and as a configurationindicator. In other embodiments, color-coded dongles each having amemory, standard connectors and corresponding standard interfaceelectronics can be plugged into a standardized monitor port, such as USBor RS-232. In an embodiment, color coded buttons are provided insteadof, or in addition to the memories or dongles discussed above. The colorcoded buttons allow a user to quickly select a desired configuration. Inan embodiment, a color coordinated or non-color coordinated light isprovided on or next to each button, memory or dongle. The lightcorresponding to the selected profile is lit.

FIG. 3 illustrates a physiological measurement system 300 having aremovable handheld monitor 310 and a corresponding docking station 320.The docking station 320 may range in complexity from a simple chargingstation to an independent physiological measurement system that enhancesthe capabilities of the handheld when docked. For example, a dockingstation embodiment may upgrade the capabilities of other monitors, suchas described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,584,336 titled Universal/Upgrading PulseOximeter, issued Jun. 24, 2003, assigned to Masimo and incorporated byreference herein. A panel light 350 on the handheld 310 displays aselected color associated with a handheld configuration profile, such asdescribed with respect to FIG. 1, above. A top-mounted display 360 onthe docking station also provides a textual description of a currentprofile. In an embodiment, the display 360 simply provides a textualdescription of the handheld configuration profile when docked. In anembodiment, the display 360 indicates a pre-programmed docking stationprofile that is adopted by the handheld when docked, modifying the panellight 350 accordingly. In an embodiment, the docking station profile iscombined with the handheld profile when docked, modifying both the panellight 350 and the display 360 accordingly. In an embodiment, the dockingstation profile is downloaded to the handheld 310 when docked, asverified by the handheld panel light 350. In this manner, the dockingstation 320 functions as a profile defining device for the handheld 310.

FIG. 4 illustrates a physiological monitoring system 400 comprising amulti-parameter physiological monitoring system (MPMS) 410 and acorresponding plug-in module 440. The MPMS 410 may be capable ofmeasuring a wide range of physiological parameters according to variousplug-in modules, such as pulse oximetry, blood pressure, ECG andcapnography to name a few. As an example, a MPMS having plug-in modulesis described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,770,028 titled Dual Mode Pulse Oximeter,issued Aug. 3, 2004, assigned to Masimo and incorporated by referenceherein. A panel light 450 on the plug-in 440 displays a selected colorassociated with a plug-in profile, such as described with respect toFIG. 1, above. A monitor display 420 also provides a color profileindicator 460 and a corresponding textual description of a currentprofile. In an embodiment, the display profile indicator 460 simplyreflects the configuration profile of the plug-in. In an embodiment, thedisplay profile indicator 460 indicates a pre-programmed MPMS profilethat is adopted by the plug-in 440 when plugged into the MPMS, modifyingthe panel light 450 accordingly. In an embodiment, the MPMS profile iscombined with the plug-in profile when docked, modifying both the panellight 450 and the display indicator 460 accordingly. In an embodiment,an MPMS configuration profile is downloaded to the plug-in, as verifiedby the plug-in profile indicator 450. In this manner, the MPMS 410functions as a profile defining device for the plug-in 440.

FIGS. 5A-E is a multi-module monitor 500 including a display and dockingstation 510, a removable shuttle 520, a handheld monitor 530 andplug-ins 540, all having corresponding profile configuration indicators522, 532, 542. The docking station 510 has a shuttle port that allowsthe shuttle 520 to dock. The shuttle 520 has a handheld port that allowsthe handheld monitor 530 to dock. Accordingly, the modular patientmonitor 500 has three-in-one functionality including a handheld 530, ahandheld 530 docked into a shuttle 520 as a handheld/shuttle and ahandheld/shuttle docked into the docking station 510. When docked, thethree modules of handheld 530, shuttle 520 and docking station 510function as one unit. Plug-in modules 540 expand parameterfunctionality. In an embodiment, the handheld monitor 530 incorporatesblood parameter measurement technologies including HbCO, HbMet, SpO₂ andHbt, and the shuttle station 520 incorporates non-blood parameters, suchas intelligent cuff inflation (ICI), end-tidal CO₂ (EtCO₂), acousticrespiration rate (ARR), glucose, patient body temperature (Temp) andECG, to name a few. A multi-module monitor is described in U.S. Pat.App. Pub. No. 2008/0108884 A1 titled Modular Patient Monitor, filed Sep.24, 2007 and incorporated by reference herein.

As shown in FIG. 5A-E, the monitor 500 is capable of measuring a widerange of physiological parameters according to a combination of plug-inmodules 540, a removable shuttle 520, a removable handheld 530 and adocking station 510. The docking station 510 can display a color profileindicator 560 and a corresponding textual description of a currentprofile. The shuttle 520 has a color profile indicator 522. The handheld530 has a color profile indicator 532. Also, the plug-in modules 540each have individual color profile indicators 542. In an embodiment, thedocking station 510 and shuttle 520 simply reflect the configurationprofile of what is docked. In an embodiment, a pre-programmed dockingstation profile is adopted, at least in part, by each layer of dockedcomponents, modifying individual profile indicators 522, 532, 542accordingly. In an embodiment, the docking station 510 profile iscombined with one or more of the profiles of each of the dockedcomponents 520, 530, 540 when docked, modifying the docking stationconfiguration profile indicator 560 accordingly. In an embodiment, adocking station configuration profile is downloaded to one or more ofthe docked components 520, 530, 540 as verified by the docked componentprofile indicators 522, 532, 542. In this manner, the docking station510 functions as a configuration profile defining or programming device.

FIG. 6 illustrates a physiological monitor 100 that is responsive to awireless device for configuration profile selection. In particular,multiple configuration profiles are pre-defined for the monitor 100,such as described in detail with respect to FIGS. 7-16, below.Advantageously, a fixed wireless device 610 or a mobile wireless device620 communicates with the monitor 100 so as to select a particular oneof the pre-defined configuration profiles. The monitor 100 thenactivates that profile, i.e. utilizes the profile settings as themonitor default settings, and illuminates the panel light 150 to a colorthat designates the active profile, as described above. The activeprofile may also be indicated by a display 170. The wireless device mayuse any of various short-range wireless technologies, such as RFID(Radio Frequency Identification) or Bluetooth® (Bluetooth SIG) ormedium-range wireless technologies, such as Wi-Fi.

In an embodiment, one or more fixed wireless devices, such as awall-mounted transmitter or transceiver 610 define particular sectionsinside of a medical care facility according to the wireless device rangeand coverage. The wireless device(s) 610 within a particular sectiontransmit a unique ID or code to any monitor located within that section.The monitor 100 responds to that code to activate a pre-definedconfiguration profile associated with that section. For example, one ormore wall-mounted wireless devices 610 may be located in each of an ER,ICU or surgical ward, to name a few. A monitor 100 moved to or otherwiselocated within a particular section, such as an ER, will automaticallyactivate the ER configuration profile and illuminate the panel light 150with a color indicating the ER configuration, e.g. red. If the samemonitor 100 is then moved to the ICU, it will receive an ICU code from afixed wireless device located in the ICU and will automatically activatethe ICU configuration profile and illuminate the panel light 150 with acolor indicating the ICU configuration, e.g. yellow.

In another embodiment, a mobile wireless device, such as incorporatedwithin a personal ID badge or tag 620 transmits a unique ID or codeassociated with a particular medical care provider or group of providersor associated with technical support. In this manner, the appearance ofa particular provider, such as a head physician or medical specialist,in proximity to the monitor 100 triggers the monitor to temporarilyactivate a specific configuration profile suited to that person's needsas long as that person remains in proximity to the monitor.Alternatively, technical support could utilize the tag 620 to quicklychange the configuration profile of a particular monitor. The ID badgeor tag 620 may also have a button or switch that selectively activatesthe specific configuration profile when desired. Wireless activation ofconfiguration profiles is described in further detail with respect toFIG. 11, below.

FIG. 7 illustrates a monitor configuration system 700 according to afunctional hierarchy that includes device 701, code 702, configuration703 and input/output (I/O) 704 levels. At the device level 701 is asensor 710 and a monitor 720 having the functional characteristicsdescribed with respect to FIG. 1, above. At the code level 702, amonitor has a parameter measurement function 730 and a configurationmanagement function 740 implemented, for example, in code executing onone or more processors within the monitor 720. Parameter measurement 730involves receiving a sensor signal, processing the sensor signal so asto derive various physiological parameters of interest and displayingthe result. Configuration management 740 involves defining one or moreconfiguration profiles 750, selecting one of the defined profiles 760and indicating the selected profile 770 so that a monitor user canreadily determine the default settings that determine the monitorcharacteristics. Configurable defaults for a patient monitor aredescribed in U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/126,268 titledMonitor User Interface, which is cited above and incorporated byreference herein.

In particular, a configuration profile is a collection of user-defineddefault settings for a monitor specifying parameter measurement, displayand alarm characteristics, to name a few. In particular, a configurationprofile overrides factory defaults at power up. A configurationindicator 770 is a readily visible cue confirming to medical staff thatthe monitor is operating according to a selected profile 760 or afactory default. In various embodiments, a configuration indicator 770can be a color or an alphanumeric or both. As described above, a colorindicator 770 may be a colored light that illuminates with auser-defined color representing a specific profile 760. A colorindicator 770 may also be a colored device, such as a memory, dongle orbutton plugged into a monitor programming port 787. Also describedabove, an alphanumeric indicator 770 may be a display of words ornumbers that are either descriptive or are recognizable code associatedwith a selected profile 760.

A monitor's profile definition 750 can be manually entered onfront-panel keys (buttons) 782; transferred via short-range wirelesstechnology, such as RFID or wireless personal area network (PAN) 784;defined on a PC and downloaded via communications port 785; programmedinto a memory device and transferred to a monitor via a specializedprogramming port 787; transferred to a monitor via local area network(LAN) or wide area network (WAN) 784, whether wired or wireless ordownloaded from a docked device via a docking port 780. A configurationapplication executing on a PC may interactively prompt a user to definea configuration profile, which is then downloaded to one or moremonitors according to

any of the methods described above, or with respect to FIGS. 9-10,below. FIG. 8 illustrates a patient monitoring system 800 including asensor 810 and a physiological monitor 815 with configuration managementfeatures. The sensor 810 is attached to a tissue site, such as a finger10. The sensor 810 includes a plurality of emitters 812 irradiating thetissue site 10 with multiple wavelengths of light, and one or moredetectors 814 capable of detecting the light after attenuation by thetissue 10. The sensor 810 transmits optical radiation at wavelengthsother than or including the red and infrared wavelengths utilized inpulse oximeters. The monitor 815 inputs a corresponding sensor signaland is configured to determine the relative concentrations of bloodconstituents other than or in addition to HbO₂ and Hb, such as HbCO,HbMet, fractional oxygen saturation, Hbt and blood glucose to name afew.

The monitor 815 has a processor board 820 and a host instrument 830. Theprocessor board 820 communicates with the sensor 810 to receive one ormore intensity signal(s) indicative of one or more physiologicalparameters. The host instrument 830 communicates with the processorboard 820 to receive physiological parameter data calculated by theprocessor board 820 and to display or otherwise output that data. Thehost instrument 830 also communicates predetermined settings, describedherein as a configuration profile, to the processor board 820. Aconfiguration profile determines, in part, what parameters are displayedand how those parameters are calculated.

As shown in FIG. 8, the processor board 820 comprises drivers 821, afront-end 822, a sensor port 824, a digital signal processor (“DSP”) 826and parameter measurement firmware 828. In general, the drivers 821convert digital control signals into analog drive signals capable ofdriving sensor emitters 812. The front-end 822 converts composite analogintensity signal(s) from light sensitive detector(s) 814 into digitaldata 823 input to the DSP 826. The drivers 821 and front-end 822 areadapted to communicate via the sensor port 824, which is capable ofconnecting to the sensor 810. In an embodiment, the DSP 826 is adaptedto communicate via the sensor port 824 with one or more informationelements 816 located on the sensor 810 and one or more cables connectingthe sensor 810 to the physiological monitor 815. The processor board 820may also include one or more microcontrollers in communications with theDSP 826 so as to monitor activity of the DSP 826 and communicatecalculated parameters to the host instrument 830. In an embodiment, theprocessor board 820 comprises processing circuitry arranged on one ormore printed circuit boards capable of installation into the monitor815, or capable of being distributed as some or all of one or more OEMcomponents for a wide variety of host instruments monitoring a widevariety of patient information.

The host instrument 830 includes an instrument manager 840, a userinterface 850, I/O ports 860 and in some embodiments a docking port 870.The host instrument 830 displays one or more of a pulse rate,plethysmograph data, perfusion index, signal quality, and values ofblood constituents in body tissue, including for example, SpO₂,carboxyhemoglobin (HbCO), methemoglobin (HbMet), total hemoglobin (Hbt),fractional oxygen saturation, blood glucose, bilirubin, or the like. Thehost instrument 830 may also be capable of storing or displayinghistorical or trending data related to one or more of the measuredvalues or combinations of the measured values.

The instrument manager 840 may be one or more microcontrollers that arein communications with the processor board 820, the user interface 850,the I/O ports 860 and the docking port 870. In particular, theinstrument manager 840 inputs calculated parameters and alarm conditionsfrom the processor board 820 and outputs parameter values to thedisplays 851 and alarm triggers to the user interface 850. Further, theinstrument manager 840 responds to user-actuated keys 853 andcommunicates with external devices via various I/O ports 860. Theinstrument manager 840 also executes configuration management 842firmware. Configuration management defines and manages one or moreconfiguration profiles that provide operational settings to the DSP 826and define user interface characteristics among other functions, asdescribed above with respect to FIG. 7.

Advantageously, the instrument manager 840 communicates with one or moreof a user interface 850, I/O ports 860 or a docking port 870 to receiveconfiguration profile data and, in some embodiments, to transmitindications of the default settings. I/O ports 860 may include one ormore of a communication port 861, a programming port 862 and anetworking port 863. Further, the instrument manager 840 may communicatewith an external device removable attached to a docking port 870. In oneembodiment, a profile is defined via manually-actuated keys 853 andcommunicated to the instrument manager 840. In another embodiment, aprofile is defined in an external device, such as a PC, and communicatedto the instrument manager 840 via a communication port 861, such as aUSB or RS-232 interface. In yet another embodiment, a profile is definedin a characterization element having monitor settings stored in memory.The characterization element communicates the defined profile to theinstrument manager 840 via a programming I/O port 862. Among otherfunctions, the instrument manager 840 executes configuration managementinstructions 842 for downloading or otherwise determining one or moreuser-defined configuration profiles and for indicating the correspondingdefault settings.

FIG. 9 illustrates a profile programming embodiment 900 having a monitor910 in communications with a PC 920, notebook, PDA or similar devicerunning a configuration application program (AP). The configuration AP,for example, prompts a user through a menu of monitor default settingoptions. Once a complete set of options is selected, the PC 920 encodesthe data as a user-defined profile and downloads the profile as defaultsettings to the monitor 910. Alternatively, a set of predefinedconfiguration profiles may be provided on a CD ROM 930 or similarstorage media. A user then simply selects a desired profile via the PC920, which downloads that profile to the monitor 910.

In other embodiments, a monitor 910 may be factory delivered with avariety of configuration profiles, which are selected via configurationcodes, menus or similar cataloging functions using front-panel keys 940.A selected profile is associated with a uniquely colored panel light 950and/or an identifying alphanumeric on a mini-screen 960 so that medicalstaff can quickly determine that the appropriate monitor defaults areactive upon monitor power-up.

FIG. 10 illustrates another profile programming embodiment 1000 having amonitor 1010 in communications with a characterization element 1060 viaa programming port 1050. In this embodiment, a user-definedconfiguration profile is stored in a colored characterization element1060, such as an EEPROM, EPROM, PROM or similar non-volatile memorydevice. The monitor 1010 has a specialized programming or configurationport 1050 that electrically and mechanically accepts and communicateswith the memory device 1060. The monitor 1010 reads the characterizationelement 1060 to determine its default settings upon power-up. Thecharacterization element 1060 is specifically colored so as to provide areadily visible indication of the default profile stored within. Theuser-defined default profile is easily changed by removing onecharacterization element 1060 from the port 1050 and replacing it with adifferently colored characterization element 1060 selected from apreloaded set of memory devices.

Also shown in FIG. 10, a profile programming device 1070 has multipleprogramming slots 1072 for mass programming profiles intocharacterization elements 1060. In particular, a profile is eitherdefined directly in the monitor 1010 or communicated from an externaldevice, such as a PC 1020. A profile may be directly programmed in thePC 1020 or loaded from a CD ROM 1030. The PC 1020 communicates with theprogramming device 1070 to mass-produce characterization elements allhaving the same profile or each having different profiles depending onthe programming slot 1072. In an embodiment, a single characterizationelement 1060 may be programmed via the monitor 1010 while inserted intothe port 1050. The profile programmed may be downloaded to the monitor1010 from the PC 1020 or entered directly into the monitor 1010 viafront-panel keys 1040.

FIG. 11 illustrates a physiological monitor 100 that is responsive to awireless device 50 for configuration profile selection, such asdescribed with respect to FIG. 6, above. The monitor 100 has aninstrument manager 1110 that receives calculated physiologicalparameters 1112 from a digital signal processor (DSP) and providesdefault settings 1114 to the DSP, such as described with respect to FIG.8, above. The monitor 1100 has a profile lookup table 1120, a wirelesstransceiver 1130 or receiver, predefined profiles 1140, and a profileindicator 1150. A wireless device 50 is in communications with thewireless transceiver 1130 when the wireless device 50 is in the vicinityof the monitor 100. The wireless device 50 may be a fixed device, suchas a wall-mounted transceiver or transmitter that designates an areawithin a building or facility, such as described with respect to FIG. 6,above. Alternatively, the wireless device may be a tag or card utilizingshort range wireless transceiver or transmitter technology, such as RFIDor Bluetooth®.

As shown in FIG. 11, the wireless device 50 transmits a code 1132 to thetransceiver 1130 that corresponds to one of the predefined profiles1140. The transceiver 1130 communicates the profile code 1132 to theinstrument manager 1110. The instrument manager 1110 access the lookuptable 1120 so as to determine a particular profile corresponding to thecode 1124. The instrument manager 1110 loads the selected profile as themonitor default settings and communicates at least some of thosesettings 1114 to the DSP.

FIGS. 12A-D illustrate further details of a monitor 100 described abovewith respect to FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 12A, the monitor front panel101 has a sensor port 110, parameter displays 120, a speaker 130,control buttons 140, a panel light 150 and a status light 160. Thesensor port 110 accepts a patient cable 30 (FIG. 1) connector so as tocommunicate with a sensor 20 (FIG. 1). The parameter displays 120provide numerical readouts of measured blood parameters such as oxygensaturation (SpO2), pulse rate (BPM) and total hemoglobin. The speaker130 provides, for example, an audio indication of alarms. The controlbuttons 140 provide user control and selection of monitor featuresincluding power on/off 141, sensitivity 142, brightness 143, display145, alarm silence 147 and alarm limits 148 and allow input of aconfiguration profile via up and down scrolling 149 and enter 144buttons. An alarm status light 135 indicates high priority alarms. Asshown in FIG. 12B, the monitor top panel 102 has an LCD display 170. Asshown in FIG. 12C, the monitor back panel 103 provides a power entrymodule 181, a serial output connector 182, a nurse call connector 183and a ground connector 184. FIG. 12D illustrates a vertical monitor 109embodiment of the monitor 100 described with respect to FIG. 1 and FIGS.12A-C, above.

FIG. 13 illustrates a tri-level monitor user interface that utilizesfront panel buttons (keys) to navigate through the menu selections.Advantageously, monitor settings that are typically adjusted most oftenfor patient monitoring (level 1) are segregated from settings typicallyadjusted less often (level 2). Level 1 and level 2 settings are furthersegregated from advanced settings (level 3) that require a timed,combination button press to enter. In particular, this user interfaceallows a user to manually enter a configuration profile, such asdescribed above, and to associate that profile with a color displayed bythe panel light.

As shown in FIG. 13, setup level 1 1320 contains the parameter andmeasurement settings that are adjusted most often including alarm limits1360, display brightness 1370, and sensitivity settings 1380. Setuplevel 2 1330 contains parameter and measurement settings that are notchanged as frequently as level 1, including alarm volume, alarm silence,alarm delay, clear trend and button volume parameters. Setup level 31340 contains advanced parameter and measurement settings. Once a menulevel is accessed, a front panel button (level 1 only) or the enterbutton (level 2 and 3) is used to move from one option to the nextallowing repeated cycling through the options. The up and down buttonsare used to adjust values within each option. The enter button ispressed to set the value.

FIG. 14 illustrates a level 1 example for setting alarm limits. Thealarm limits button is pressed to access the alarm limits menu. Thealarm limits button is used to access the alarm limits options and tomove between options of % SpO₂ LO 1410, % SpO₂ HI 1420, Pulse rate (BPM)LO 1430, Pulse rate (BPM) HI 1440, PVI LO 1450 and PVI HI 1460. Up ordown buttons are used to adjust the value to the desired setting. Thealarm limits button is pressed to accept the setting and move to thenext option. Once the last option is accessed, an additional press ofthe alarm limits button returns the device to an initial screen. Thedisplay button is pressed to exit at any time and return to the initialscreen.

FIG. 15 illustrates a level 2 example for setting button volume. Forbutton volume, the enter button is pressed. The settings options includedefault level 2 1510, level 1 1520, off 1540 and level 3 1530. Up ordown button is used to move between settings and the enter button 1540is used to accept the setting and move to the next menu screen. Thedisplay button is pressed to exit without saving the new setting and toreturn to the initial display screen.

FIGS. 16A-B illustrate a level 3 example for altering the factorydefaults. To access level 3 parameters/measurements, the enter button isheld down and the down button is pressed for 5 seconds. After enteringlevel 3, the enter button is used to save new settings and move to thenext menu. The user may cycle through the menu options by continuing topress the enter button. Pressing the display button exits the menu andreturns the display to an initial display screen. The settings optionsare no change (do not adjust factory default settings) 1610, userdefault (set to user settings) 1625 and factory default (restore factorydefault settings) 1620. Up or down button is used to move betweensettings and the enter button is pressed to accept the setting and moveto the next menu. The display button is pressed to exit without savingthe new setting and to return to the home display screen. The factorydefault is set to this setting when configuring a device profile andselecting a color for the device profile LED.

The monitor can be configured to save changes to the device settings asa device profile. Using the button menu or an external configurationapplication, users can adjust monitor settings and parameter/measurementalarm limits. After changing settings, the user may save the settings asa device profile. This device profile becomes the new default settingsand the saved (device profile) settings will be retained after a powercycle. The user may select a color for the device profile LED toassociate with the saved profile. The device profile LED will illuminatewith the selected color, allowing the user to verify at a glance that adevice profile has been set. If changes are made to the device settingsafter the device profile feature has been enabled, the device profileLED will turn off, indicating a change from the device profile settings.Pressing the Up Arrow once will change the display from the default“Factory Default—Set”, to “User Default—Set” (see LCD display) 1610. Theuser can press the Enter Button again to save the settings, and themonitor will prompt the user to select a color (for the Device ProfileLED) to associate with the saved profile. The default color is lightblue. On the LCD display, a message alerts the user that light blue isselected, “User Default—light blue”. By using the up or down arrows, theuser can select from a list of colors 1610-1690. The user selects andsaves one color by pressing the Enter Button. The device profile lighton the front panel will illuminate with the selected color. When userconfigured default settings are active, any changes to the defaultsettings cause the device profile LED to turn off until the device isreturned to the user configured default settings or powered off.

A monitor configuration system has been disclosed in detail inconnection with various embodiments. These embodiments are disclosed byway of examples only and are not to limit the scope of the claims thatfollow. One of ordinary skill in art will appreciate many variations andmodifications.

What is claimed is:
 1. A monitor configuration system comprising: a calculation processor that communicates with a physiological sensor configured to obtain an indication of a physiological condition of a patient, the calculation processor configured to calculate a physiological parameter measurement responsive to the indication of the physiological condition obtained by the physiological sensor; an instrument manager processor in communication with the calculation processor, the instrument manager processor configured to control one or more of a calculation, display and alarm of the monitor configuration system, the instrument manager processor responsive to a configuration profile that specifies selected options relevant to one or more of the control, display and alarm of the monitor configuration system; and a configuration indicator configured to identify the configuration profile.
 2. The monitor configuration system according to claim 1, where the physiological sensor comprises a plurality of emitters that transmit optical radiation into a tissue site and at least one detector that receives the optical radiation after attenuation by pulsatile blood flow within the tissue site;
 3. The monitor configuration system according to claim 1 wherein the configuration indicator comprises a panel light.
 4. The monitor configuration system according to claim 3 wherein the instrument manager processor selects between a factory-default configuration profile and a user-specified configuration profile.
 5. The monitor configuration system according to claim 4 wherein the panel light displays a first color when the factory-default settings are selected and a second color when the user-specified settings are selected.
 6. The monitor configuration system according to claim 5 wherein the user-specified settings are manually defined.
 7. The monitor configuration system according to claim 6 wherein the panel light color for user-specified settings is manually defined.
 8. The monitor configuration system according to claim 3 wherein the panel light displays a first color when a first configuration setting is selected and a second color when a second configuration setting is selected.
 9. The monitor configuration system according to claim 3 wherein the configuration indicator further comprises a top-mounted alphanumeric display.
 10. A monitor configuration method comprising: defining for a physiological monitor a configuration profile of user-specified settings, the configuration profile including selected optional settings relating to one or more of calculating physiological parameters, displaying the physiological parameters and alarming based upon the physiological parameters; indicating the selected profile by displaying an associated color.
 11. The monitor configuration method according to claim 10 wherein the defining comprises reading the configuration profile into the physiological monitor.
 12. The monitor configuration method according to claim 11 wherein the indicating comprises illuminating a portion of the physiological monitor with the color.
 13. The monitor configuration method according to claim 12 wherein the illuminating comprising activating a colored panel light on the monitor.
 14. The monitor configuration method according to claim 11 wherein the reading comprises downloading the configuration profile from an input/output (I/O) port.
 15. The monitor configuration method according to claim 10 wherein the defining comprises: receiving from a wireless device a code corresponding to the configuration profile; and activating the configuration profile according to the code.
 16. A monitor configuration system comprising: a profile definition means for setting parameter measurement, display and alarm characteristics of a physiological monitor; a profile selection means for activating a defined profile; and a profile indication means for cuing a monitor user as to the selected profile.
 17. The monitor configuration system according to claim 16 wherein the profile definition means comprises a menu means for manually entering profile settings.
 18. The monitor configuration system according to claim 17 wherein the profile selection means comprises a save means for specifying a defined profile as the monitor default settings.
 19. The monitor configuration system according to claim 18 wherein the profile indication means comprises: a color selection means for associating a color with a saved profile; and an illumination means for displaying the color.
 20. The monitor configuration system according to claim 16 wherein the profile definition means comprises a downloading means for transferring profile settings to the monitor via at least one of an I/O port and a docking port.
 21. The monitor configuration system according to claim 20 wherein the profile selection means comprises a wireless means for specifying a defined profile as the monitor default settings. 